Half and Half
by Elusion
Summary: Inuyasha is forced to make the most difficult decision of his life. Youkai, or human? Or should he stay a hanyou? He finally chooses, but when a spell goes wrong, something drastic happens to Kagome. After a very, very long time, chapter ten is out.
1. Chapter One: The Spell

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter One

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video. Not me.

- - -

Inuyasha's heart pounded as he rolled the pink glass ball in his hands. He had a decision to make, and it was not going to be an easy one. He was a half breed, an outcast on both species of his family tree, but now was his long-awaited chance to... fit in. He could change himself. He could wish to no longer be a two halves of a person, as he often felt he was now, but to be whole: to not have his two parts constantly fight over each other, to be at peace with himself.

And yet, he had almost grown comfortable with his half-ness. He found that he usually got the better end of both parts in this way. The healing powers and extreme strength of a youkai, and the emotions and love of a human. The question was, which was more important to him?

In the past he had hated his human heart, thought of it as his "weakness," but now he found that indeed it was one of his strengths. Humans live less than youkai, and are determined to stuff in as much fullness into their short lives as is spread out in the centuries that youkai live. He had realized that his strength in character, his determination, courage, and loyalty came from his human heart. He mentally notched up a point for his human half.

And yet, the youkai part of him had an allure. He had dreamed of turning youkai for years, to take revenge on his brother, to become stronger, to show up the youkai who had teased him, even tormented him, for years; and to be like his father. He took pride in being part youkai. He was stronger, faster, and more deadly than a mere human, and more capable of protecting himself... and Kagome.

Kagome. The name alone made his heart beat faster, and a pleasant fuzzy warmth steal over his mind, much like being drunk. Yes, admit it or not, Kagome was the deciding factor. She was the one who had given him the jewel when their quest was complete, to 'do with as he felt best.' He had wondered whether she understood the freedom of choice she offered, but the look in her eyes told him she did. She would accept either choice, she seemed to say without words, something that Inuyasha could amazingly understand as easily as if she had actually said it. He marveled at this, wondering if her miko powers were improving, or the bond between them was just growing closer. Whichever it was, he knew she would still love him either way.

But could he love himself? Would he be able to forgive himself if he made the wrong choice? Suppose he turned human, but he could no longer protect Kagome from attacking youkai. He realized that in that case, with her miko power, she would be more capable of protecting him than he would her. His pride quailed at the thought. And suppose she was killed? Suppose she was unable to protect herself, and poor defenseless human Inuyasha couldn't do anything? Would not her death haunt him, pointing a mocking finger in his face, laughing at him, squealing about that stupid half breed Inuyasha who couldn't do anything right? Couldn't protect his mate?

No, he couldn't allow that to happen. But then, the only other choice was youkai. A shudder ran down his back at the thought of what happened when his youkai blood took over. He became a mindless puppet of bloodlust, a destruction machine with no regard to human life. Part of his mind screamed that it wouldn't be like that if he turned full demon, but what if it did? Was he willing to take that chance?

Then there was always a third choice. He could do nothing, he could stay a hanyou forever. He wouldn't mind it, things had gone well so far. After all, Kagome had fallen in love with him as a hanyou, had she not? He almost decided on that, had not another thought come into mind. The jewel. If he neither turned human or youkai, the jewel would continue to exist. Kagome would stay priestess of the jewel, and be forced to guard it, youkai constantly attacking her to get it. Inuyasha would always be there to help, of course, but what would they do as they grew older? They were both in top shape right now, but would they be able to guard off demons when they were in another twenty years? Thirty? And he had seen what a lifetime of guarding the jewel had done to Kikyo. She had become bitter and hard. Inuyasha had told the truth when he told Kagome he loved her for her, not for being Kikyo's reincarnation. He didn't want pure, sweet Kagome to become bitter and twisted with a hard life fighting off youkai consistantly.

What would they do if another Naraku came into being? They had barely beaten the baboon skin clad evil, though the proximity of death had finally made them realize their feelings for each other. What if there was another powerful youkai after the Shikon no Tama? Would they be able to handle it?

He sighed. Now he was back at the beginning, three choices, and frankly, none of them seemed very good to him. Power, emotion, or a destructive middle ground. This decision was too serious to be made quickly.

- - -

Kagome sat in the remains Kaede's hut. Only it wasn't Kaede's anymore, not since the woman had died by the claws of Naraku's minions, who had attacked the village whilst Inuyasha and Kagome were traveling in search of shards. That kind of attack appealed to Naraku, as he had used it with Sango- destroy the ones close to your enemy, and then attack while they grieve. Kaede had led the villagers in a brave defense, and it was probably all because of her that any of the village was still standing at all.

Kagome tried to shake herself from her gloomy thoughts. Yes, she missed Kaede and resented that she was gone when they still needed her help, but she also knew her older friend and teacher had died as honorable a death as she could, and had saved many lives. Her soul was at rest, and that was some small comfort to Kagome. But she still wished Kaede had been able to teach her more about being a priestess, now that she was going to stay with Inuyasha more she had a feeling she would need to know. She would still visit her family, but her heart belonged with a dog boy in the Sengoku Jidai.

"And tests be damned." she muttered with a slight grin. She had been failing school anyways. Who needed to know algebra in the feudal era anyways?

She heard footsteps approaching the outside of the hut. She prepared herself for Sango or Miroku to enter, so she was surprised when the door opened to reveal red robes and white hair.

"Inuyasha," she whispered. Her heart thudded hard. She told it to slow down, she had been awaiting this moment for the past two days. Inuyasha had gone off by himself to contemplate the use of the jewel. His return could only mean one thing.

He had decided.

She looked up to him, and his golden eyes touched upon her for a moment before they quickly turned away. Despair rose in her heart as he refused to meet her gaze. Her heart quickened as she felt her fears were confirmed. She nodded resolutely, and took a deep breath as if taking a huge burden upon herself.

"So that's your decision."

He looked up in surprise. How had she known? Maybe it was as he had felt her acceptance earlier, they didn't really need words to communicate.

"Yes." he muttered in a rasp voice, pushing doubt back a final time. He had decided and was going to go through with it, no matter what the consequences.

Kagome fought back tears as a major turn in her life had just appeared before her eyes. She said a silent farewell to the Kagome she had been the past year, the school girl doubling as a shard detector, with a major crush on a hanyou from another time. After all, it wouldn't be too different, Inuyasha would still be the same person inside, wouldn't he? She sat up and put on a firmly cheery grin.

"Well, then lets get this done with, shall we?" she said in a cheery voice to match the grin. She wished again that Kaede were here to oversee the casting of the spell.

Inuyasha sighed in relief. So it was okay with her. He was afraid she would be unhappy, that she wouldn't still love him. He should have known better then to doubt.

He handed her the jewel, and she could see that he was relieved she didn't mind. She wanted him to be happy, that's why she had let him decide what to do. She would love him no matter what, she would always love him. She would stay in his time forever if that would make him happy. Before she had known his true feelings, she had been willing to let him be with Kikyo if that was who he loved. Now she was glad her willingness to sacrifice her happiness for his had not pushed her so far. She absently rolled the pink jewel the size of a large marble in her hand, chewing her lip in thoughtfulness.

"I think we should try simply saying what we want the jewel to do." she said after thinking things through. "Kaede said once that the desire is what really forms a spell, and the words just provide a structure. So as long as we mean what we say, it should work."

He nodded. He knew next to nothing about magic, but it seemed logical.

"Perhaps we should say it together, it might add more power to the spell."

Again Inuyasha nodded, and he placed his hand over hers and the jewel. She looked up, and saw for perhaps the first time ever, fear in Inuyasha's eyes. She suddenly became afraid too. What if the spell didn't work? And what would happen to him if it did? How would things change?

She shoved away those thoughts. Whatever happened, happened.

"Alright, at the count of ten we'll say it." The pounding of her heart defeaned her, and her hands shook ever so slightly.

"One...two...three.."

She absently noticed that his hands were shaking themselves. Her voice was weak, but grew stronger with resolve.

"...seven...eight...nine...ten."

They simultaneously took deep breaths, and began chanting the most fateful words they would ever say;

"Make Inuyasha a-"

"Make me a-"

"-youkai."

"-human."

Their eyes widened in horror when they realized what they had just done, but a cloud of pink smoke materialized around them, and it was too late.

- - -

Kagome coughed on the sweet smelling smoke, the odor of which was growing ever more pungent. The sharp smell seemed to even further sharpen her other senses. She felt lightheaded and dizzy, yet strangely stronger and more stable then she had ever been before. Odd sensations went through her body at an alarming rate. She could only stand in stupor and wonder what on earth was happening to her. The smoke reluctantly cleared, and she could hear the coughing and sneezing of Inuyasha, oddly loud in her ears. Something was strange about her ears.

She could finally make out the outline of Inuyasha standing before her, and gasped. He hadn't changed! He was still the same, white hair, claws and all. Then what just happened?

He drew closer, and he could hear him gasp as well, and again, it seemed strangely loud. She could see his face now, and the look of utter astonishment on it. She wondered if she looked as surprised as him at this turn of events, but his surprised look was directed to her! What was wrong with him? And where had the jewel gone?

She looked in her hand. It wasn't there. But if the spell hadn't done anything...

She absently noticed her nails looked funny. 'This is no time to be admiring your nails', she reprimanded herself. But she hadn't remembered them being this long, she noted, turning them over to get a better gaze. Or so sharp...

"Ka- Kagome?" Inuyasha finally managed to rasp out. By now the smoke had completely cleared, and left nothing behind but slight sparkles in the air like the last of a handful of thrown confetti catching the light. Her ears swiveled towards the sound of Inuyasha's voice and her gaze followed.

Wait- her ears... swiveled?

She glanced back down at her nails, and then hesitatingly brought her hands up to her head.

Yes, there they were, her ears.

"Kagome.. You're... a.."

"Hanyou." she said in a whisper.

- - -

End Chapter One


	2. Chapter Two: Contemplating the Change

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter Two

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video

- - -

Inuyasha barely managed to catch the plummeting Kagome before she crumpled to the ground in a dead faint. He held her in his arms, and looked for a place to set her down. Laying her out on an improvised bed of soft blankets on the floor, he watched her silently, waiting for her to return to consciousness.

He was surprised at how calm he really was, considering his best friend and true love had just changed species. Maybe it was just shock. Or perhaps he was so used to strange things constantly happening around him that it wasn't all that much a surprise. Or perhaps, he was a bit... relieved.

He blinked. Relieved? How so? He thought hard upon it. Kagome was turned into a hanyou, meaning the Shikon no Tama was used. The Shikon no Tama was used, so that meant he couldn't change himself. Ahh, that was it. So he was relieved that he could stay the way he was. He felt a bit guilty that he felt relieved that Kagome changed so he didn't have to. After all, it really was his fault this all happened, wasn't it? He should have told Kagome straight out his choice. But he had still been slightly unsure of himself, and it was easier to assume she understood then to say it out loud, and make it so.. permanent. He shook his head. How could he be so cowardly?

He had been afraid still to choose, so his indecision had caused this mess, with Kagome being the victim of his own cowardice. He hung his head in shame. Would she forgive him? How would they adjust? Suddenly the seriousness of the change crashed down upon Inuyasha. Everything would be different- she would have to learn how to control her youkai blood, find out when her human day was, learn how to adjust to the heightened senses and the superior strength... the list went on. Inuyasha's head reeled at the prospect. She was going to have to relearn a great deal of things as well, her sense of balance would be off, and anatomically, her whole body was different. Inuyasha knew how long it took for him to get used to his once a month human body when he was young, but this would be a great deal harder for Kagome. At least with him, things had reverted back to normal after the night was over. But for Kagome, except for one day a month, things would never be normal again.

A thought suddenly hit his mind. How would her family react? What would they tell them? Would they be angry? Would they try to keep her from Inuyasha? After all, it was his fault. Would they disown her for being a half breed? Inuyasha didn't know Kagome's family very well, but he knew how his mother had been humiliated and shunned by her own family for falling in love and bearing the child of a youkai. So many humans had rejected him... would the same happen to Kagome?

His eyes narrowed at the thought. Just let them try to make fun of Kagome, and he'd rip them to shreds. If Kagome's family wouldn't accept her, Inuyasha would, even though he wasn't sure if she still wanted him around. He vowed then and there that he would take care of Kagome, even if she hated him, he would be there to protect her as she grew accustomed to her change. It was his fault, and he was going to take responsibility for his actions for once.

Kagome's eyes fluttered open. Where was she? And why was she lying on the floor? She looked up and saw Inuyasha's concerned face above her. She suddenly remembered what happened, and the world swung around, threatening to turn black again. She fought off the darkness, and slowly sat up. She looked down at her hands again, and sighed, her last hope that it had been a dream vanished. She wobbily tried to stand up, and Inuyasha quickly rushed over to help. She awarded him with a brief smile, and tried to get her balance. She felt strange. Her body felt different, like all the bones and organs had shifted, leaving her feeling disoriented and out of balance. She finally straightened herself out, but Inuyasha still hovered nearby, like she was a china doll he was afraid would break. She felt a little flattered that he would pay so much attention to her, but it was a little annoying. She tried walking a few steps. She was beginning to get the hang of it, she thought to herself, seconds before her knees buckled out. Inuyasha caught her, and she waved him away. She wouldn't be carried like a child. Hesitatingly, she made her way over to a corner of the hut. She sat down, and reached into her pack that was there, and pulled out a mirror in triumph. She held it up to her face, half curious and half frightened at what she would see.

The first thing she noticed was that her hair was still black. Somehow she felt immensely comforted. Her hair had been a matter of pride to her, she loved the black lustrous locks. She then saw the two puppy ears poking out. They were the same as Inuyasha's only more slender, and they were black, like her hair. The pupils of her eyes were demonically slanted, but the chocolate brown of her eye color had melded with the amber color of Inuyasha's eyes to create a golden brown somewhere in between the two. She flashed a smile and admired her fangs; she had always found Inuyasha's rather cute. The last touch on her now hanyou face was two skinny faint blue lines on either cheekbone. She thought that they made her look more exotic and interesting. She smiled in the mirror again. If she was going to be a half demon, at least she was a pretty one. She absently raised her hand to push her hair behind her ear, a nervous habit of hers, but her ear was no longer there. She sighed. That would be bugging her for weeks, until she found a new nervous habit. Hopefully not biting her nails, she thought with a glance to her razor sharp claws. All in all, it wasn't too bad, she supposed. She glanced up at Inuyasha, who was staring at her with a guilty, nervous look, much like a puppy who had been bad and was waiting to be punished. She almost giggled. She'd have to stop with these dog referenced jokes, after all, she wasn't one to talk anymore.

"What's wrong Inuyasha?" she asked sweetly. He looked shocked at the grin on her face.

"Are- are you okay? You don't mind? I mean, being a hanyou?" he asked, surprised.

"Might be fun." Kagome grinned. She had always tried to look on the bright side of things, and this was no exception. Inuyasha just stared at her like she was possessed.

"And now, I'll be just as strong as all of you guys!" she said, her smile brightening even further. Being the weakest one in the group had always bugged Kagome. Well, now she was stronger than Sango or Miroku, and with her miko powers, she might even surpass Inuyasha one day! That is, if she still possessed her miko powers. She would try to puzzle it out later, along with how the spell had gone the way it did.

Inuyasha just stared at the cheerful dog-girl. Yes, she was definitely dog hanyou, his nose told him so. He was glad, for youkai to marry a youkai of a different race was rare and usually didn't work out. Not that they were getting married anytime soon, he hastily added in his thoughts. Inuyasha, though he knew he loved Kagome, wasn't wanting to make such a big commitment right then. And Kagome had previously said she was too young. He wasn't sure why that was, but apparently in her time they waited longer before getting married.

While thinking of age, another thing popped into his mind. Now that Kagome was a hanyou, they would age at the same rate. Another problem solved, as he would have still been young long after Kagome grew old if she had stayed human and he hanyou. He was beginning to like the idea of Kagome being a hanyou, now that he thought about it, because now she would truly understand him. He smiled back at Kagome. Maybe she was right, maybe things really weren't so bad after all.

- - -

End Chapter Two


	3. Chapter Three: Reactions

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter Three

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video

- - -

The sun set in a brilliant burst of dazzling color, as pink and purple clouds hovered above it. Sango watched the firery spectacle until it disappeared behind the curtain of the horizon, to put on its show again the next day. She hugged her knees and absently stroked Kiarara as she mulled over thoughts in her head. The air began to grow cool, and the first winking star came out, but she loathed the thought of going anywhere. The quest was over, Naraku dead, her family avenged, and she was left alone. She didn't want to return to her camp, because the absence of other humans would only further depress her. She could always return to the former Lady Kaede's house, but Kagome and Inuyasha would be there. Last time she went, Kagome had greeted her warmly, but the brown eyes of her gentle friend had been filled with sadness, worry and longing, and Sango knew she was thinking about Inuyasha, who was still deciding what to do with the jewel. Her visit had been brief, and she felt no desire to return, even though Kagome was her dearest friend. It was just a futher twist to the knife of loneliness piercing her heart to be around someone who was deeply in love. Love. Sango took a deep breath of the sweet smelling air. She wondered if she would ever find out what it would be like to be in love. Or was it, as she was bitterly beginning to believe, her destiny to always be alone? She had wondered if Miroku... but no. Who could expect that pervert to know anything about love? She sighed yet again and picked up Kiarara, and picked her way to her camp in the nearby woods.

She arrived at her camp, and found it not as deserted as she had supposed.

"Houshi?" she asked in surprise at the sight of Miroku sitting in front of her fire.

"Ah, Sango." he nodded to her. "I was hoping you would not be too long. How have you been these past two days?" he conversed pleasantly.

"I've been well, I suppose." she said, still unsure of how to react. Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in her toes. She mentally screamed at it to stop, it was just Miroku.

"What brings you here?"

"Always straight to the point, Sango. You're a very no-nonsense type person." he observed. She looked at him, undecided at wether he was teasing her or complimenting her in some way.

"The truth is, I was near here anyways when I felt a very strong magic coming from the general direction of the village, most likely meaning that some major spell had just been cast."

Sango puzzled over what significance this would have. She suddenly gasped when it mentally clicked.

"Inuyasha! He must have made his decision!" she realized. He grinned.

"Well, shall we go and see what the results were?" he stood up and brushed off his robes with his now kazaana free hands. The lack of the rosary reminded Sango of the gigantic battle, the origions of which went back for decades, that they had just ended, and that she wasn't the only one whose family had been wiped out by the enemy. Miroku was probably as much alone as she. She knew none of his family was alive, and he didn't have anyone to turn to either. She wondered why she had never thought about how tragic his life really had been. She had spent so much time being nearsighted by her own misery, she had forgotten that she wasn't the only one with troubles. Really, being faced with the possibility of your death every day of your life, without being able to do anything about it must have been hard.

"How did he bear it?" she wondered.

He followed her gaze to his hand, and she realized she had said it aloud. It came from talking to herself these past couple of days. She blushed, and he slowly replied

"The only way I could. One day at a time."

He looked back at her, and she could see the sadness in his deep eyes. She nodded in understanding. She had dealt with her sorrows much the same way, focusing on getting through one day, ignoring the lonliness and pain that surely awaited her tomorrow.

Her thoughts were starting to get a little too depressing, so she attempted to cheer herself up. After all, no use living in the past, is there?

"Well, let's go then!" she said, plastic smile in place. Miroku smiled back half heartedly, and they began their trek to the village in a somber, but understanding silence. Sango walked beside Miroku, thankful that he had showed up and pulled her out of her pity party. It was good for her to see that there were other suffering people in the world, to act as a reminder that all she could do was pick up the pieces of her life and move on.

Miroku's hand slid toward Sango, froze a moment, then wrapped around her ... hand. Such a simple gesture that was so unlike Miroku that it surprised and moved her. She drew closer to him and gave a gentle squeeze to his hand.

Kiarara trailed behind and watched her master and friend. Had Sango been able to speak cat, Kiarara would have had an earful to give her. She really should be getting out more often to see her friends; spending so much time alone was not good for her health. And it was about time she finally making some progress with Miroku. Couldn't she see that he loved her? And that she loved him back? Stupid humans with their tendency to miss the obvious. They must have lost their sense of this just like they had lost most of their other senses. If only they would listen to their wiser, more experienced animal companions. Of course, Sango could not understand the subtleties of cat speech, so this wisdom was lost to her.

- - -

Kagome was fascinated by her newly heightened senses. Her hearing and sense of smell were so much stronger, it was like they were completely different senses than those she had grown up with. She could hear the wind in the grass outside, a bird that could have been a quarter of a mile away, Inuyasha breathing, a conversation between two villagers about crops, and loudest of all in her ears, her own heartbeat. She was already beginning to distinguish smells from one another. Of course, she was still very unexperienced, and could not identify most of these smells, but it didn't keep her from trying. The first smell she tried to identify was Inuyasha. He had made so many comments about her smell, whether good or bad, it made her curious to see what his scent was like. She had told him this, and he just laughed at her eagerness to learn everything at once.

"It takes a pup time to learn, Kagome. What is that saying you use? Something about rope not being made in a day?"

Kagome laughed.

"It's 'Rome wasn't built in a day,' Inuyasha." she said in between giggles. "Ancient Rome was a famous city with huge buildings and statues that the only the ruins of remain. It took years and years to build Rome." she briefly summarized the history lesson.

He grinned.

"Well, Rome or rope or your sense of smell, it takes time to build these things." Noting her crestfallen face, he added, "But we can go out tomorrow and I can help teach you." She smiled, and gave him a hug. He was still a little unused to physical contact with her, but it felt nice.

"Okay, tomorrow." she murmured, her face buried in his robes. She inhaled deeply, trying to catch his scent. It was a hard smell to place, she realized. She couldn't compare it to anything. It was a masculine smell, but pleasant, almost kind of woodsy smelling. She found she liked it a great deal.

- - -

Miroku stopped short before they reached the hut. He shushed Sango's question.

"Do you feel that?" he whispered.

Sango was silent for a moment.

"Youki." she whispered.

"There's Inuyasha's youki, but there's another. I can't seem to place it, but it feels slightly familiar. I can sense Kagome's miko powers too, but they seem fainter than usual for some reason." he wondered aloud.

"So there's someone else in there." A demon someone else.

"Yes, but if Kagome and Inuyasha were in any trouble, we'd know by now."

"Let's be careful, just in case."

Miroku nodded and they approached the hut. Sango quietly opened the door, and they rushed inside, prepared for just about anything. Except the sight that greeted them.

Inuyasha was locked in an embrace with someone, this someone whose youki they had sensed before. A hanyou, by the look of the ears. They stood in shock, wondering how Inuyasha dared be such a two timer so openly. And Kagome was nearby too! What was going on?

Inuyasha and the other hanyou quickly seperated at the sight of the exterminator and priest, and the female hanyou was revealed to be an attractive dog half breed with black hair and ears.

"Hi guys," she said sheepishly, unsure of how their reaction would be.

Miroku's jaw dropped, and all he could say was "Kagome?!!"

Sango, however, used a very Inuyasha-esque line.

"What in the seven hells happened to you?"

- - -

End Chapter Three


	4. Chapter Four: Explanations

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter Four

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video

- - -

It took considerable time and effort to calm down Miroku and Sango enough to convince them that Kagome was alright. They had first asked her who and where was the demon who did this to her, and where was the Shikon no Tama, and demanded to know what had happened, why they hadn't come and gotten help. They both had mentally beat themselves up for leaving the couple to go off on their own, making Kagome vulnerable to such a thing, then asked Inuyasha where he had been and why hadn't he protected Kagome.

Kagome sighed in exasperation as the steady stream of questions came from the pair. Inuyasha fumblingly tried to explain, then got all defensive when they accused him of not taking care of Kagome. When he started protesting their accusations in too loud of a voice, and they had repeated them in even louder voices, Kagome feared it would turn into a fight if she didn't do something.

"ENOUGH." she finally shouted, resorting to her rarely used "scary" voice. Miroku and Sango froze. When the normally sweet and subdued Kagome used that voice, you had better hush up. They guiltily looked to Kagome.

"First of all," she breathed deeply. "It's not Inuyasha's fault that I'm like this, nor was it done by any demon. If anyone was at fault, I'd say it was me." Inuyasha looked at her in surprise. Her fault?

"It was just as much my fault as yours, Kagome." he said quietly.

Inuyasha, actually taking responsibility for something? Miroku and Sango looked at each other. This, they had to hear.

Kagome was also surprised that he had admitted to being at fault in any way. Usually his over inflated ego prevented him from relenting to anything that would make him appear in the wrong. He really was beginning to change. It gave her a warm feeling to think of. But, she had to get back to explaining things. She summarized the events of that afternoon, a little embarrassed at the stupid way she had acted. Ah, well, it was already over and done with. "Can't change the past." she thought to herself. "You'll just have to make do with the future." It was a thought she knew she'd often need to remind herself of the next few days.

When she was done, Sango and Miroku sat, a little stunned. Miroku smiled wryly at the tale, and Sango looked in pity towards Kagome.

"It's really okay," Kagome protested. "It's not so bad. I'm a lot stronger now, and I like having better senses. And I don't look so much different."

"But how are you going to fit in in your time?" the youkai exterminator asked her friend worridly. Kagome paused.

"Actually," she began slowly. "I had been planning to stay here with Inuyasha. I was only going to go back to my time for occasional visits to my family."

Since she had been alone for the better part of the past two days, she hadn't had the chance to tell anyone of her choice. This was news to all of them.

"What about 'tests' and 'school'?" Inuyasha asked, unbelieving that she would leave her life to be with him.

"Well, thanks to some dog demon, I was already failing school," she said coyly, glancing at Inuyasha, "So I guess I'll just be a junior high dropout. Which means-" she added, noticing the looks they gave her at the unfamiliar terminology, "-that I won't be going to school anymore, and I wont have any more tests!" she smiled broadly. That was her favorite part about staying this era, besides Inuyasha, obviously.

Miroku spoke up after her joyful little speech.

"Do you know why the spell affected Kagome when it went wrong?"

Kagome answered.

"You know, I've been wondering about that myself. The best theory I could come up with was that when we... messed up... with the spell, it created two spells that combined. When you combine a youkai and a human, you get a hanyou, correct? So the spell became to make Inuyasha a hanyou. Now, Inuyasha already was a hanyou, so the spell should have just cancelled itself out." she paused. "But the Shikon no Tama was much too powerful a thing to just dissolve. So, since it couldn't effect Inuyasha in anyway, it just kind of..."

"Bounced off, and went to Kagome." Inuyasha finished for her, remembering a peculiar sensation he had had that felt much like some powerful thing being reflected off of him. Kagome nodded.

"Hmmm.. Seems plausible." Miroku thought for a moment. "So the main question is how to get you back to normal." he stated.

Kagome looked at him in surprise. Back to normal? She hadn't really thought about changing back. Well, yes she had, the first few minutes while she was still in shock over the change, but now... Now, she wasn't sure if she liked the idea.

"I don't think there's anything powerful emough." Kagome said. The Shikon no Tama had been the most powerful item she had known about.

"Surely there's something we could find." Sango said. "That can be our next quest."

Kagome shook her head. "I... don't know if... if I want to change back." she said slowly.

There were several more surprised glances.

"I kind of like it." she said quietly.

No one could think of anything to say.

"I mean, there's no chance of both me and Inuyasha turning into humans, and hanyous live much longer lives... I wouldn't mind so much, but I don't want to grow old and die while Inuyasha is still in the prime of his life."

They all saw the reason in this, but just the idea of Kagome accepting being a hanyou.. was a little foreign to them. Heck, the idea of Kagome being a hanyou was still strange.

Miroku sighed.

"Well, I suppose it's up to you. Think it over some, though. Make sure it's what you want." he walked over to the entrence of the hut and stared outside.

"It's getting late." he said. The half moon had already risen and the stars shone down merrily on the dark surface of the earth.

"Yes, I suppose I should be getting back. Oh, houshi, you made me rush out in such a hurry I forgot to put out my fire!" Sango scolded, and rushed out to make sure her camp hadn't been burned up by now, with Kiarara trailing at her heels. Miroku sighed. "Well, I suppose I should go and see if she needs help. I wouldn't want the forest to burn down," he said gloomily, but Kagome could see the silly grin plain on his face as he left.

"Those two." she sighed, a smile on her face as well. "When are they ever going to get together?"

She felt Inuyasha's arms slip around her waist. "You know, the same could be said of us two weeks ago." he whispered in her ear. She snuggled up against his chest, enjoying the warmth and love that radiated from him. Moments like these had been rare, the first week after Naraku's battle was spent mainly grieving and healing, both physically and emotionally, then the past two days had been spent with them separated, Inuyasha making his decision. Now, they finally had the time to just enjoy being together. They didn't speak for some time, just drank in one another's presence.

Inuyasha had missed Kagome over the past two days. He hadn't realized how much his heart had hurt without her until he had returned, and, God, it felt good to have her back. He suddenly noticed a change in her scent, and he looked down at her face. There were tears in her eyes, streaming down her face.

"Kagome? What's wrong?" he asked, worried.

She half laughed.

"Oh, it's nothing." she said, then saw the worried look on his face. "It's just, well, part of me really hates change. Every time something changes I feel like the person I was died, and I can never go back. I know, it's dumb, but I like the comfort of permanence." she laughed again through her tears. "Oh, I'm just being stupid. I'll be fine in a little while."

Inuyasha hugged her tighter. He never realized how hard things must have been for her, getting whipped away to another time, where there were demons and monsters, and she was a priestess... he wondered how hard she had cried the first night she had been there.

"I really will be okay in a little while, I wasn't lying when I said I think I'll like being like this. It's just, well, an old Kagome has died, and I have to grieve her a little before I can completely slip into being the new Kagome." she sighed and leaned back against his chest. Her tears dried up before too long, and she looked up at him.

"Thanks," she whispered, and on an impulse, reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks for not calling me silly or weak," she whispered. He wordlessly hugged her again, and she relaxed in his arms. They sat like that a while, and eventually he could hear her deep breathing, telling him that she was asleep. He carefully carried her to the bed, and sat there, undecided for a moment, before snuggling in next to her. As he felt the warmth of her body next to his, he felt complete, like before then he had just been a half a person, and had just found the missing half. Ying and Yang, youkai and human, they were two parts of a whole.

Half and half. That was them.

- - -

End Chapter Four

A/N: All together now, ready? AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW...

Fluffiness! Fluffiness! Oh, the sheer fluffiness of it. (sigh). You know, I could end it here...

No, I wouldn't do that to you, my dear readers. (Besides, some of you might make good on your death threats...) I know they were a little OOC- y, but that's because Inuyasha is not a very fluffy character and hard to write romance for without being OOC, because he's so gruff. It was also because I put a little of myself into Kagome. Yes, that's often how I feel about change. I love/hate change, and on birthdays, new years, last days of school, etc. I feel all melancholy, because there will never be another time when things are exactly the same.


	5. Chapter Five: Morning

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter Five

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video

- - -

The sun rose in a glorious spectacle of dazzling light and color. Pinks and reds and yellows all melted into the blue of the sky above, like a beautiful watercolor done in paints more vibrant than any on this earth. This awesome scene played out it's everyday role, unnoticed by two snoozing young beings nestled together in a hut, oblivious to the awakening world around them.

When the soothing waves of sleep finally began to ebb from Kagome, her first concious thought was abouy the warmth around her. Usually it was a little chilly in the mornings, but today she felt incredibly warm and comfortable. She sighed in contentment, and snuggled further in her bed. She slowly blinked her eyes, and was a little disappointed that it was already light outside. She was so comfortable, she just wanted to stay where she was for the rest of the day. She rolled over, and bumped into something. She blinked, and realized she was face to chest with Inuyasha.

"Eep!" she said loudly, sitting up. This was not the type of wake up call she had been expecting. She stared at the dog demon in her bed, then looked down at herself. Whew, she was still fully clothed. Immediately after that thought, she felt extremely embarrassed. Of course they hadn't done anything. But why on earth had Inuyasha been in her bed? Sure, they had become close since the battle with Naraku, they had admitted that they loved each other, and had hugged and actually even kissed a few times before, but sleeping in her bed? Since when had Inuyasha even slept lying down like normal people? Everytime she had seen him sleep, he was always sitting in a corner, Tessaiga over his shoulder. She sat there marveling at this when Inuyasha awoke.

He blinked slowly, and sleepily grinned at Kagome. "Good morning, fellow hanyou." he said in a raspy voice, then sat up and stretched like nothing had happenened. Kagome could only stare.

"Why were you sleeping in my bed?!"she finally managed to sputter out.

"Where else was I supposed to sleep?" he asked innocently. She looked around. She hated to admit it, but he was right. There wasn't any other bed.

"Well..." she trailed off. No use arguing with him.

He stood and picked up his sword lying beside the bed. He placed it in his belt.

"It's not like I did anything to you, wench." he couldn't help adding.

"Sit!" she couldn't help replying.

Thud

"Crap. I hoped this thing wouldn't still work" he groaned from the floor as the rosary's magic took effect.

"I guess I kept some of my miko power." she observed. Inuyasha silently wished she could have found a less painful way to find that out, but, not being completely unteachable, he had learned a comment like that would probably just annoy his female companion into another "sit." So, he stood up, grumbling and dusting off his clothes, then sat near the bed.

"So what do you plan on doing today?" he asked. The female hanyou looked out into space thoughtfully.

"Well, you did promise to take me out and teach me how to develop my sense of smell," she said brightly.

Inuyasha paused. Yes, there was that. But, it seemed to him there was something more important to be taken care of.

"What about your family?" he asked seriously.

She froze. Yes, her family needed to know about the change. She hadn't talked to her family since when she and the others had returned from battle. She remembered her mother's tears of relief that her daughter was safe, then the tears of sadness when she told her that she was planning on staying with Inuyasha.

Her mother had cried, knowing she would miss her daughter dearly, but accepted it out of love and desire for her child's happiness. Kagome recalled her last conversation with her mother...

"Do you love him?"

Kagome looked at her mother in surprise. Tears glistened in the older woman's eyes as she awaited the answer. Kagome looked down to her lap, and fiddled with the hem of her skirt nervously.

"I... I do love him, mother... and... and he loves me." she said slowly.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded.

"Then... Go.. Go and be happy with him, okay?"

Kagome looked into her eyes, and saw pure love, radiating out towards her.

"Just make sure you visit me, alright? As often as you can. Please?"

Kagome saw the pleading and worry mixed in with the love.

"Yes. Yes, I will. I promise." she whispered hoarsely, and hugged her mother tight. Tears escaped her tightly squeezed eyes as she embraced her mother.

"And make sure you get properly married before you do anything, okay? And I'm expecting you to bring my grandchildren to visit often, understand?"

Kagome blushed and laughed at the very motherly advice.

"I'm just fifteen, mom. It's not like we'll be getting married right away."

Mrs. Higurashi nodded. "I know. You grew up so fast, you know that? Most mothers at least have until their children are 18 before they have to let them go." She sighed. "I'll miss you, my little girl. My first and only little girl." Her voice grew hoarse. "I... I only wish your father could see you, all grown up, and in love."

Kagome nodded. They sat together like that for a few minutes, in tears, before a voice interrupted them.

"Oi, Kagome!"

Kagome looked up at the sound of her name being called outside by a voice so harsh, and yet so dear. Mrs. Higurashi drew in her breath as she let go of her daughter.

"Remeber, you have to visit, understand?"

Kagome had nodded, then left to find Inuyasha in the yard.

"Ready to go?" he said, his eyes softening ever so slightly, and she quietly said "Yes," then hugged him tightly.

"Hey, Kagome! Kagome? Are you okay?"

Kagome woke back up to the present.

"Yeah." she said softly.

"Are you sure? You're crying."

She felt her cheek, and was surprised to find it wet with tears.

"Yes, I suppose I am." she said.

Inuyasha wasn't sure how to react. Kagome's tears always had that kind of effect on him. He was never sure what to do, only that he wanted them to stop, no matter what. So, he quietly swept her into another hug. She froze at the unexpected embrace, then relaxed in his arms.

"I'll go with you, if you'd like." he said.

She mutely nodded, her face still buried in his clothes. She absently noticed that her tears were making them wet, but breathed in his smell, and was immensely comforted. Her tears dried, and she found resolve that had been buried in her heart.

"Let's go." she said, smiling.

He was relieved that her tears had stopped, so he agreed and they walked together to the well.

"It's a good thing the well still works." Inuyasha said as they climbed out on the other side. He held out his hand to her, and she daintily took it and hopped out. She was too worried to answer him.

"Why am I worried?" she thought to herself. "The worse that could happen is that Grandpa would try to exorcise me." She smiled at this thought, it wasn't like her to be nervous like this. She thought it over. No, she wasn't really worried, it was something else. Homesickness. That was it. She had missed her family. Desperately. It felt good to be back.

She walked more confidently towards the house. Something in her wondered how it could seem so unchanged when everything around her had been thrown topsy turvy. She stepped closer to her door, unsure of what to do. She felt strange, she felt the impulse to ring the doorbell and let her mother come answer the door, but it would make her feel like a stranger in her own house.

She opened the door, and she and Inuyasha slipped in. The front room was empty, but Kagome noticed several extra pairs of shoes next to the door. There was company!

"Uh, Inuyasha, I think we'd better slip up to my room. There's someone-"

"Kagome?"

Kagome's pupils narrowed.

"Oh crap." she whispered. She knew that voice.

- - -

End Chapter Five


	6. Chapter Six: Lies and Goodbyes

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter Six

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video

- - -

Kagome grabbed a confused Inuyasha by the arm and dragged him up the stairs to her room. She scanned the room, before opening the window.

"Go out onto that tree branch. They won't see you then." she shoved him towards the window.

"Who won't see me? Huh? What's going on?" Inuyasha asked, very puzzled.

"Just go!" she hissed as she began yanking open drawers in her dresser. Inuyasha meekly obeyed, and watched as Kagome whipped out a small bottle of some flesh colored stuff, and began smearing it on her cheeks until the blue lines were covered. She dropped the bottle of foundation back into the drawer and opened up her closet and searched desperately for something to hide her ears with. She settled for a headband that she quickly tried to place over her ears, and used her hair to cover them. It was a little painful, but it would do. She just barely had time to draw the curtain over the open window before a knock sounded at the door.

"Kagome?"

She took a deep breath and took a quick glance in the mirror. Confident that she looked almost "normal," if she kept her fangs out of sight and no one noticed her eyes, she called out a pleasant, "Come in!"

The door opened and three young girls entered. They all began talking excitedly at once.

"Oh, Kagome, you've been sick all week-"

"Today's Saturday, so we just thought we'd drop in-

"Kagome, what did you do with your hair? I thought you hated headbands-"

Kagome desperately tried to follow the three conversations, but without much success. Her friends realized their mistake and giigled, then took turns speaking.

"You missed a history test, Kagome. And the section was so interesting, too. It was all about the myths about demons and onis and gods in the Sengoku Jidai-" Ayumi started, before she was cut off.

"Oh, come on, Ayumi-chan. Kagome doesn't want to hear about history." Eri shook her head at her bookworm friend. Unnoticed by both of them, Kagome had gone a little pale.

"I'm sure she'd much rather hear the latest gossip about Hojo." Eri giggled.

"I don't care about Hojo-" Kagome protested, before her third friend broke in.

"Come on you guys, she's been sick for the past three weeks, and you didn't even ask how she felt!" Yuka said, shocked at her companions' rude behavior.

They immediately apologized, and were relieved to hear she was feeling much better, thank you. Then Eri began talking again about Hojo and that freshman girl, and how if Kagome didn't do something soon, she would lose him. Kagome just rolled her eyes after many protestations that she cared nothing about Hojo and glanced nervously towards the window. As if on cue, there was a loud thump and a series of "ite"s from outside. Her friends froze.

"What was that?" asked Ayumi.

"Ahh! A peeper!" Ari shouted. Eri rushed towards the window, and looked down.

"It's an awefully cute peeper, if he is one." she said thoughtfully. "But he is dressed a bit funny."

Kagome walked to the window, and looked out. Sure enough, Inuyasha was crounching on the ground, dusting off his clothes while muttering a string of curses.

"So who is it?" Ayumi asked.

There was a long silence, before Kagome finally replied.

"That's Inuyasha."

Her friends looked at her in astonishment. A knowing look came on Yuka's face, and she whispered to Eri. Sudden realization hit Ayumi.

"Is he the one-" she began, but Kagome was leaning out the window.

"Come on up, Inuyasha." she called. He looked at her, still having no clue as to what was going on, but he leaped up to the tree branch and then to the window sill. Kagome's friends looked in awe at this display of agility for a moment, then let loose a torrent of questions.

"Are you really Kagome's boyfriend?" "Does this mean you finally chose between her and that other girl?" "Are you dressed up for a costume party or something? 'Cause those are really weird clothes." There was a brief respite as Eri discovered his ears, but then there was another flurry of questions, mainly asking to touch them or wondering if they were real.

Ayumi leaned in towards Kagome. "So where'd you find him? He's so cute!" Kagome blushed as Inuyasha looked to them, obviously overhearing. He looked surprised. Kagome whispered back to Ayumi, "You won't find another one like him in four hundred years." Ayumi noticed the far away look in Kagome's eyes, and knew her friend had it bad. She smiled. It was about time.

Kagome managed to get near enough to Inuyasha that she could whisper to him without anyone else hearing.

"Sit down, and shut up, or else I'll really make you 'sit,'" she muttered just above her breath. His eyes widened, and he quickly sat down.

Eri turned to Kagome.

"So, what were you two little love birds planning on doing?"

Kagome looke dup nervously.

"Uh, what do you mean?"

Eri looked smug. "Well, you were obviously planning something. Why else was he here?"

Kagome wracked her brain desperately for an answer. She drew a blank.

"I know!" Ayumi said suddenly. "You guys were gonna elope, weren't you!"

Kagome jolted at this. She opened her mouth to deny it, but then she thought for a minute.

"Yes." she said quietly.

"Oh, how romantic!" Ayumi sighed. Inuyasha looked at Kagome in confusion, and started to open his mouth to say something. He thought they had agreed marriage was out of the question right now. Not that he would mind too much... Kagome just mouthed "Don't make me say it," to him. He clamped his jaw shut.

"See, Inuyasha's an orphan, and my parents think I'm too young to get married. So, we're going to run away and live with Inuyasha's brother in Kyoto." she made up, trying to play her friends' senses of romance. It worked. They all sighed, with mushy, sappy looks on their faces. Inuyasha just stared at Kagome in horror. Live with Sesshomaru??!!!

"You'll write us letters, won't you?" Ari asked. Ayumi and Eri quickly seconded the request.

"Of course." Kagome said, and realized this was probably the last time she'd see her friends.

"I'll miss you guys." Tears began to collect in her eyes, and she looked into their faces, and they all burst out crying at once. They cried and hugged, and said goodbye and good luck, they made sure her promise she would write letters at least forty times over again, and Inuyasha just stood in the middle of it, wondering what was going on. One minute they're all mushy and happy, and now they're wailing their eyes out? The amount of emotion in the room was making him sick.

He'd never understand women.

- - -

End Chapter Six


	7. Chapter Seven: Shiny Thingamajigs and C...

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter Seven

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video

- - -

Kagome's eyes were red and puffy as she escorted her friends to the door.

"Won't you come with us for a last trip to the ice cream shop?" they pleaded.

Kagome really wanted to, and considered Inuyasha's reaction to ice cream, but decided against it. It was time she confronted her family.

"No, I'm sorry. I really need to start packing." she said quietly. They all gave her farewell hugs and a few more tears were shed, and she said she would try to visit. She really hated lying to her friends about the circumstances of her departure, but it was necessary. They couldn't know about the truth.

Yuka turned to Inuyasha, who had been silently observing all this.

"You take care of her. If she's unhappy, I'll never forgive you." she said, her eyes serious. Inuyasha wondered at why he should be concerned about not being forgiven by this insignificant human, but he wisely didn't pronounce these thoughts. The more important thing was that he was going to take care of Kagome, or else he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He nodded, his eyes just as serious as Yuka's, and she smiled.

"I wish we had gotten to know you better," she said, "but I know Kagome loves you, so that's enough. We've just been waiting for you guys to realize it."

Eri and Ayumi agreed, and added their warnings to Inuyasha. He promised that he wouldn't let Kagome get hurt, and unconciously reiforced his statement by wrapping his arm around her. This let forth a series of sighs from the three girls, and a mild blush on Kagome's face.

A few more tears, a few more hugs, a lot more promises, and they were gone. Kagome watched her three best friends exit her life, probably forever, and leaned against Inuyasha. He wrapped his arm tighter around her, as if trying to protect her from the pain inside her own heart. A noise behind them made her ears attempt to perk up, but they were too squashed under the horrid headband. She turned, and saw her mother.

"Mom." she said quietly, her voice husky.

"Kagome." her mother brought her gently into a long embrace. Inuyasha stood awkwardly, feeling out of place. Mrs. Higurashi pulled Kagome away gently, and looked her in the face. She noticibly stiffened, and licked her thumb to rub away the makeup on her cheeks, revealing the blue lines. She stared at them, almost as if hypnotized, and at the slitted eyes. Kagome reached up and pulled off the torturous headband, and her sore ears sprung up in relief. Her mother gasped, and softly touched them, her eyes full of quetions, curiousity, and love. Always love. Kagome had never looked into her mothers eyes without seeing love, even in the occasional temper flare, or even when those eyes contained disappointment Like a bright light, her unconditional love still shined through. Kagome had never met another person as loving as her mother, and only hoped someday she might inherit this quality.

Kagome took her mother by the hand and led her and sat her on the couch, to begin the long tale. Inuyasha had had enough of womanly sentiment, emotion and tears, it upset him to no amount. He slipped out of the room, and began wandering through Kagome's house. He first came to the kitchen. It was a promising place, with no end of interesting appliances and edibles, but last time he had tried to explore the kitchen, Kagome had gotten quite angry at him, and made him promise to only experiment with things with her supervision. He looked to the living room guiltily, tempted to forgo this promise. He was bored. He opened the fridge aand poked around in the contents. He remembered some of this stuff from earlier visits, but a lot of it was unfamiliar to him. He glanced again to the living room. Kagome would never know. He gleefully picked up the first thing he saw. He held it in both hands and examined it carefully. It was some kind of brownish liquid, trapped within a strange see through container. He glanced the label of it, and read it out loud.

"Choc-oh-late milk." Chocolate? He remembered chocolate! Kagome had brought it with her once, and grudgingly given them each a piece. He remembered it, because out of all the things Kagome had brought with her, it was the only thing Inuyasha could remember her being hesitant to share. And with good reason. Chocolate was delicious. He absently swished the jug in his hands as he tried to find a way to get it open. The cap on it didn't want to come loose, no matter how hard he pulled. Frustrated, he gave another tug on it, and his hand slipped around it. He felt the cap move slightly. He eagerly began twisting the cap around until it was free. He raised the jug to drink from, when a memory of Kagome flashed back into his mind. She had admonished him once for not using a cup.

He sighed, but not wanting to get into anymore trouble then he was sure he'd probably get into, he grudgingly put the milk jug on the counter and began searching the cabinets for the cups. He was soon distracted from his quest, though, by a big shiny thing. He crept up to the enormous metal structure, with interesting knobs and buttons that would do who knows what kind of things. There were all sorts of strange objects in Kagome's time, and they fulfilled all sorts of unusual tasks. He wanted to know what this one was for. He looked as one entranced at the knobs, and reached out to one. He hesitated, and then turned in.

Nothing happened.

He frowned, then turned another one, and another. There seemed to be no effect. Puzzled, he inspected some other parts of the shiny thingamajig. They were oddly shaped, like snakes curled up, ready to strike. He tentatively touched the thing, and drew back his hand sharply. It was hot! He hadn't actually burned himself, but the heat had surprised him nontheless. He watched in wonder as the thing slowly turned red with heat. He then notced two of the three other snake things heating up as well. He looked at the fourth, but it didn't seem to be doing anything. He slowly, almost regretfully, put out his hand. It darted to the burner, touched it a moment, and darted back. It wasn't hot! But why not? He contemplated this. Something had to have happened that made these things heat up. He looked back at the stove, and it clicked. The knobs he had turned before, they activated these heating things! So, if he put the knobs back like they had been, these heating things would turn off. He turned two of the knobs back, and sure enough, the heat radiating from the thing lessened. He realized these were probably used to cook things on. He could see the advantages to this. Unlike the wood fire he would have had to use to cook things in his time, these things would go on and off at a touch, and didn't require wood. One would never have to worry about finding dry wood in a thunderstorm, or having a warm meal in the middle of a snowstorm. He marveled at the technology of this thing, that it would rid so many problems and concerns with the turn of a knob. Not to mention the concern of getting something to eat... Suddenly Inuyasha realized he was hungry. He looked back at the stove and grinned. Perhaps he could make use of this metal wonder of Kagome's time.

- - -

Kagome and Mrs. Higurashi hadn't noticed Inuyasha's absence. They had their little mother to daughter talk, catching up on the past couple of weeks. Kagome told her story, and Mrs. Higurashi asked her about her friends, and what kind of story she had fed them. Kagome told her, and the elser woman laughed. She said with Ayumi's sense of romance, Yuka's imagination, and Eri's gullibility, it was exactly the kind of story the three would fall for. She told how they had been dropping by almost every day after school, and she had been hard worked to keep them away from Grandfather, who still insisted creating the most awful diseases, and trying to make up excuses herself. Kagome laughed as her mother rattled off the new list of diseases Kagome hadn't known she had aquired. They talked then about how things were going on both sides of the well, and were so caught up in catching up it was understandable that neither noticed that Inuyasha had left. Finally, Kagome realized it in a rush, and immediately began worrying about where he had wandered off to.

"Inuyasha?" she called, trying to locate him. "Now where did he go?"

"I don't remember when he left," Mrs. Higurashi honestly replied. Kagome stood up, and headed to the kitchen. She hoped he hadn't made another horrible mess like last time. She grimaced as she recalled Inuyasha covered in flour, his sensitive nose sneezing violently and the fridge open with an overturned carton of juice, eggshells, and various vegetables spilled out on the floor. She prepared herself for the worst as she opened up the door, and was surprised to see Inuyasha sitting down quite civilly at the table, with the kitchen completely intact. He turned to her as he heard the door open, and Kagome could see he was perfectly alright, besides having a chocolate milk mustache. She giggled as she made her way towards him. He smiled and held up something proudly. It was a cup of steaming instant ramen.

It took a minute to register.

"Did Souta help you get something to eat?"

He shook his head, a chocolately smile still on his face.

"I did it by myself, boiled the water and everything, on that metal contraption over there." he pointed to the stove. Kagome looked at the stove. It wasn't a flaming ball, and it was even turned off!

"You figured out the stove?" she said, a little unbelievingly. Inuyasha looked at her curiously.

"Is that what it's called?" She nodded, and he proudly explained how he had discovered its purpose and made the ramen all by himself. Kagome was a little more than amazed. For him to reason out the purpose and ways to use the stove required intelligence she hadn't known he had. For some reason, she had always perceived Inuyasha as dense, even ignorant. It didn't bug her, she still loved him, but now she saw she was wrong. She realized that his lack of knowledge had come from spending a life time isolated and away from people and youkai alike, never really communicating. So, when he had appeared stupid and ignorant,it had really just been that he was nieve. She marveled at the new side of Inuyasha she had found, and loved him all the more for it. She reached up and wiped away the milk mustache that still stayed on his face, and followed it up with a kiss. Inuyasha was startled at this spontaneous act of affection, but soon melted into it.

Kagome savored the feel on his lips aginst hers, and even the chocolately taste the kiss had. In fact, from that day onward, whenever she drank chocolate milk, she was reminded of that kiss.

- - -

End Chapter Seven


	8. Chapter Eight: More Explanations

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter Eight

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video

- - -

Miroku and Sango sat together beside her campfire, sharing breakfast and talking about the new development in their lives, Kagome's sudden change. Sango was extremely surprised, the priest had yet to try any funny stuff. They had talked and laughed together last night, but the lech had kept his hands to himself, for the most part. Okay, there was one groping incident, but that was surprisingly mild for the houshi. Sango had asked him several times if he was okay, and checked his forehead when she had bent down to pick up something, not thinking, right in front of him, and he didn't even try to touch her. He wasn't sick, but he was acting very oddly, yet it was almost nice, to be able to sit and talk with him without having to worry about being too close to his roaming hand.

A rustling in the bushes interrupted her from her thoughts. She looked up in surprise as a kitsune popped out.

"Shippo! What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Stupid monk!" he yelled, bopping Miroku over the head.

"You left me all by myself at the camp, never even telling me where you were going!"

- - -

"Kagome? Inuyasha?"

The pair separated quickly, a blush on each of their faces as Kagome's mother opened the door to the kitchen.

"Oh, there you are."

She smiled not-quite-so-naively at their red faces.

"How long are you planning on staying today?"

Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other. They really hadn't thought about it. Kagome had been excited about the whole thing with learning how to use her nose and all, but now that she was here, she was reluctant to leave.

"You still have to tell your brother and grandfather," Inuyasha reminded her.

"I'm not sure mom." Kagome said uncertainly.

"Will you at least stay for breakfast? I'll make waffles."

That settled things.

"Okay! We'll stay for breakfast, right Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha didn't know what waffles were, but breakfast sounded nice. His stomach growled in appreciation. Kagome giggled.

"What about that ramen you just ate?"

"Hey, I have a demon's metabolism, remember?" Inuyasha said jokingly. "So what are these waffle things anyways?"

Kagome gaped at him.

"You mean you were never here when my mom made WAFFLES?!!"

Inuyasha shook his head, puzzled. Kagome smacked herself on the forehead. "Well, we'll just have to fix that."

Kagome began explaining the wonder of waffles, the height of American cuisine. Then Inuyasha asked where this America place was, and Kagome started giving him a geography lesson. Mrs. Higurashi watched this all with a small maternal smile. Inuyasha listened, confused and slightly bored, as Kagome led him through a brief history about America and European countries, and how Japan was introduced to them.

Her mother had never seen Kagome so lively and animated. Her daughter had always been a quiet, thoughtful child. Only now did she see how much this demon hunting and adventure had drawn her out of her shell. She wondered how her other Senkoku friends affected her. That reminded her.

"Kagome, your birthday is next week."

Kagome looked up in surprise. That was right! Her sixteenth birthday! How could she forget?

"What were you planning on doing, mom?" Her mother always planned lavish parties and invited all of Kagome's friends and classmates.

"I hardly think a party would be in order with you in your… condition."

Kagome giggled. "Yes, and I've already told Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi that Inuyasha and I were eloping. You know what that means, it'll be all over the school in no time."

"Yes. So, what would you like to do?"

"I think just a small family party would be really nice."

"That's what I thought, but I had an idea. How about you invite your friends from over the well?"

"Sango, Miroku, and Shippo?" Kagome asked in surprise.

"Why not? I'd like to meet them."

"I don't know if they can travel across the well."

"Remember when there was that thing with that mask monster? And you asked Souta to go back and get Inuyasha?"

"Yes, but Inuyasha came through the well by himself, Souta couldn't get across."

"But, when he described what happened, it sounded to me like when Inuyasha crossed through the well, Souta started to cross through too. So, if you and Inuyasha cross through with them, I think it would work."

Kagome thought this over. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"So when should we plan it?" Mrs. Higurashi asked. Kagome regarded her mother.

"You're really excited about this, aren't you?"

"Of course I am! My only daughter is celebrating her only sixteenth birthday, and I finally get to meet these people you talk so much about!"

Kagome smiled. A noise came from the doorway. She turned, to see a sleepy boy with tousled hair walking into the kitchen.

"Mom? You're making waffle- Kagome! Inuyasha!"

"Souta!" The young boy barreled her over in a hug.

"You were gone for so long. I thought you might never come back! How long are you and Inuyasha nii-chan staying?"

Inuyasha squirmed uncomfortably at being called big brother. The only brother he had ever had had been Sesshomaru, and, well, no more really needed to be said. He didn't know how to react to this kid, Kagome's little brother, accepting him so readily as a part of the family. And then, there was Kagome's mother. She was always so friendly, despite the fact he was what had kept her daughter away from her family for so long, with his impatience to collect Shikon shards. The grandfather was still a little cautious of him, but he hadn't tried to use the sealing scrolls on him anymore. Those things didn't really do much, but they were sticky and a pain to get off, especially when they got caught in his hair.

"Well, we're staying for breakfast, but I don't know how long we'll be staying after that."

Souta groaned. "you'll at least spend the rest of the day, won't you? It's a Saturday, and there's no school, and- what happened to your ears?!!" Souta exclaimed as his drowsiness finally left him and he realized the difference in Kagome. Mrs. Higurashi giggled.

"Aren't they cute? I rubbed them for five minutes straight before she finally got tired off it."

Souta stared at his big sister.

"You're- you're a hanyou! Like Inuyasha!"

Kagome sighed and prepared to tell the long story again as Souta reached up and traced the lines on her face, slightly streaked with the makeup that had stayed despite her tears and her mother's attempts to wipe it off, when she heard another person enter.

"What's all this racket? Can't an old man get some sleep around here?"

"Oh, come on Jii-chan, it's almost 10:30. Even on Saturdays you shouldn't oversleep that much."

"Hmmph. Souta, when I was your age, I knew how to respect my elders- Kagome!"

Kagome and Souta giggled. Inuyasha just stood behind Kagome, a little awkwardly.

"What happened to you? Or are you a demon in disguise, trying to overtake the rest of us? I knew that Inuyasha would bring bad luck upon us." A low throated growl came from Inuyasha, and Kagome and Souta laughed even harder. Grandfather continued, completely oblivious to their giggles.

"Well, your evil plan won't work in this house! Out! Out with you!"

"Jii-chan, it's me." She said between laughs. He looked doubtful, but she began her long story, and he listened, eying Inuyasha mistrustfully. Inuyasha just glared right back. Kagome finished her tale, and Jii-chan was silent.

"Don't worry Kagome, I'll have you human again in no time." He said stubbornly, staring at Inuyasha the whole time. Inuyasha suddenly had the childish impulse to make a face at the ridiculous old man and his non stop glaring. Thankfully, Inuyasha resisted this urge and settled for a haughty look that made him look scarily like Sesshomaru, and infuriated the old man.

"That's okay, Grandpa." Kagome said, sweatdropping at the thought of what her grandfather had in mind as a cure. She remembered when she had gotten chicken pox and had been sent home from school while her mother was out. Her grandfather had insisted it wasn't chicken pox at all, but a plague from a demon that he must exorcise before her flesh was eaten away by the sores. Her mother had come home just in time to rescue her from her grandfather's choking incense, chants and scrolls. It had taken her mother several hours to convince her that the chicken pox would heal in a week, and no, it wasn't going to rot her flesh away. She shuddered at the thought, and so missed the entire silent show down between Jii-chan and Inuyasha.

"No, it's not okay!" he said insistently. "You can't stay a demon! My own grand daughter! A member of the Higurashi family! A long line of holy men and shrine maidens, and you insist on staying half demon?!! It's bad enough that you had to choose a demon for a boyfriend, but now this?"

Inuyasha was quite ticked off at this, and probably would have slaughtered the old man right there if he had not looked at Kagome's face. Her eyes were hardened and her mouth set. Inuyasha almost fell over in shock: That was definitely Kagome's 'sit' face, but for once it wasn't directed at him! He almost felt bad for her grandfather.

"Now look here, Jii-chan, there is nothing wrong with Inuyasha being a demon, you got that? He's who I love, and that's enough. Now if I hear any more nonsense about Inuyasha being somehow inferior to full humans, I just might hop over that well and never come back. And I'm the one who will chose whether I want to have you trying all sorts of quack cures and exorcisms on me, and I choose to stay just as I am, understand?"

The grandfather nodded, his eyes wide at his grand daughter's outburst. He looked at her with a curious look in his eyes. She reminded him so much of his late wife sometimes.

"I only wanted the best for you," he said, a little hurt. Kagome's eyes softened.

"I know. I'm sorry I snapped at you, but I think I can control my own life now."

Jii-chan nodded. She probably could.

"You have your grandmother's temper, you know that?"

"Yes, Jii-chan, you've told me." She said. He glanced back up to Inuyasha, and his eyes hardened, then relaxed. "You take care of her, you hear?" Inuyasha, surprised, nodded. "You really don't deserve her, but for some reason she loves you. So, what can grandfather do but let the child make the choice." He sighed, and hugged Kagome. "So what kind of new demonic powers have you acquired?" he asked with a slight smile.

- - -

End Chapter Eight


	9. Chapter Nine: Spoons and Pocky

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter Nine

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video

- - -

"NANI???"

The monk and the youkai exterminator tried to calm the frantic fox kit.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S A HANYOU?"

Miroku sighed and tried to explain the spell and what had gone wrong, but his audience had disappeared.

"I'm gonna go find them!" The kitsune cried, and ran off in the general direction of Kaede's hut.

Sango tried to stop him, but he was gone in a flash.

"Well, I suppose there's nothing we can do but follow him," she sighed.

"I dunno, I can think of a few more interesting things we could do instead." Miroku said, his quirked eyebrows hinting at what he had in mind.

-Whap-

"Ouch!"

"Once a pervert, always a pervert." Sango growled.

- - -

Kagome peered over her cards at Inuyasha. She grabbed the card he passed to her, looked at, then passed it along. Her hand snaked towards the center of the table, lightly grabbed a spoon, and snaked back. She continued to pass the cards and wait. Souta noticed the missing spoon first, and quickly grabbed another. Inuyasha was trying to deal with all the cards in his hand at once, his eyebrows slanted in frustration as he threw a handful of cards to Kagome.

"Slow down." He growled to Mrs. Higurashi, who grabbed the next spoon. Ji- chan looked up next and grabbed the last spoon. Kagome burst into a fit of giggles.

"What're you laughing at, wench?" he growled at her, then noticed the spoon in her hand. He looked to the table, but the spoons were already taken.

"Da-" he barely stopped himself from cursing, seeing the disapproving look on Mrs. Higurashi's face.

"That's another O for you!" Kagome shouted happily. "The almighty hanyou with the super senses, losing a game of Spoons." She laughed.

"Where'd you learn this card game anyways?" Souta asked.

"Uh, I think it was an American foreign exchange student in my class a year or two ago," Kagome replied.

"Well I think it's stupid." Inuyasha said gruffly.

"That's just cause you're a sore loser." Kagome stuck out her tongue. She hadn't lost a round yet. In fact, Inuyasha had been the loser for all the past rounds except one, when he happened to look up at just the right time to grab the last spoon right before Souta did. Oh, how he had gloated after that, sitting with his smug "I'm better than you and I know it," look, which only amused the family instead of intimidating them like it was supposed to.

Inuyasha hadn't quite understood the point of these card thingies. They didn't seem to serve much purpose, you couldn't eat them, or use them as weapons, and when you won a game, you didn't get any sort of prize or anything for your trouble. Kagome said they weren't supposed to serve a purpose, that they were just for "fun." In fact, a lot of the things from her time seemed to be just for fun, like those video game thingies on that possessed "TV" box. Inuyasha was still confused how the things inside the box were there without smell, and Kagome just went into an even more confusing explanation that involved strange words like "satellites," and something about a picture being sent by some kind of waves. Inuyasha got bored and changed the subject.

Kagome eventually gave up trying to explain the things of her time, as the technology was unimaginable to anyone from the Sengoku Jidai, so she just attributed it to a different kind of magic. Inuyasha really didn't care too much anyways. The black box was loud and annoying and not nearly as useful as that "stove" thingy he had made the ramen on.

"Inuyasha, what do you want to do now?" Kagome asked when the card game was over, Inuyasha inevitably losing, with the word "spoons" written in English letters with blue ink on his hand.

"Can I get this stuff off my hand now?" Inuyasha asked.

"Sure. Come on."

Kagome led him into the bathroom and showed him how to use the sink. She wrinkled her now-sensitive nose as she entered.

"I never realized how much this room really smells." She said. It was true, the intermixing smells of bleach, urine, air freshener, and soap made it quite a pungent place. They had gone almost unnoticed by her human nose. That reminded her.

"Inuyasha, are you going to take me to learn how to track and stuff today?"

Inuyasha looked at her in surprise. "I thought you would want to stay with your family for the rest of the day."

Kagome pouted. "But I really wanted to go today!"

Inuyasha looked at her in disbelief. "Kagome, you haven't been with your family in weeks. You always like to come back."

"But I can always come another day," she said. "Why are you wanting me to stay here? You used to never want me to come back."

Inuyasha looked to the ground.

"That's because… I used to be afraid that if you came back here… you wouldn't ever come back to me. You had so much here, I never could believe you would actually want to stay in my age with me."

Kagome looked at him in wonder. "Really? But I always came back!"

"That's why I eventually came to trust that you would stay with me," he said quietly. "Stay with your family today, who knows, it might be a while before you see them again. Plus, you have to make plans for that "party" thing of yours."

Kagome nodded. "That's right… Okay, but we can go tomorrow, right?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Of course."

She smiled and went off to find her mom. Inuyasha watched her leave, and sucked in his breath. He hadn't told her the real reason why he wanted her to stay. Watching her and her mother together, seeing the was Souta adored her, and Jii-chan was protective of her, he saw that she belonged. She had a family, a real one. The one thing he had never had. He wanted her to enjoy it, not waste a minute of it, because it was more precious than she knew.

And, maybe, by watching them, he could pretend he was a part of it.

"Kagome, do you think you'll be back again before your party?" Souta asked.

"No, why, Souta?"

"Cause, if you aren't coming back, when are you and Mom gonna go shopping?"

Kagome sucked in her breath. She had forgotten; it was tradition, every year her and her mother would go out on a huge shopping spree as an early birthday present. She and her mother would often spend all day at it, hitting the malls and boutiques, enjoying themselves immensely. She wondered why her mother hadn't mentioned it before. No, wait, of course Mama wouldn't mention it. She wouldn't say anything, and let Kagome spend her time with Inuyasha, thinking she would much rather be with the dog demon than her dried up old mother anyways. Kagome sighed. Her mother was always so self sacrificing, willing to give up her own time with her daughter for Inuyasha and her Sengoku companions. Kagome knew how much her mother enjoyed the little shopping trips they took together, ones that Kagome hadn't had time for of late. Well, she would fix that. She left the puzzled Souta to go find her Mom.

She was in the kitchen, washing up the dishes from the waffles they had eaten earlier. Kagome glanced at the clock. It was still early enough, before noon, they could leave now and still have time to shop till they dropped.

"Hey, Mom, leave those dishes for later. Come on, lets get ready."

"Ready? For what?"

"For our shopping trip, remember? You owe me my birthday spree, if I am correct."

"But what about-"

"About what? Come on, let's go."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled.

"Alright. Well, let me change, and get my purse. But, Kagome dear, what are you going to do about Inuyasha?"

"What? I heard my name." Inuyasha popped out around the corner, a Pocky sticking out of his mouth.

"Hey! That was my secret stash!" Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha grinned.

"Well, it's not a secret anymore, now is it?"

Kagome swatted at the dog demon, who playfully ducked under it, cruching the rest of the chocolate covered biscuit stick before sticking his tongue out at Kagome.

Kagome sniffed the air.

"And you got into my Botan rice candy too!"

Inuyasha grimaced.

"That sticky stuff? It was too sweet, and stuck in my teeth."

"So where's the rest of it?"

"Oh, I didn't like it, so I gave it to that fat cat."

"Inuyasha!!!"

"Just kidding." Inuyasha smirked, and held out the bag with most of Kagome's candy stash still intact, though depleted of chocolate.

Kagome glared warily at him, but he just grinned infuriatingly. Mrs. Higurashi chuckled at the pair.

"So what are we going to do about him?"

Kagome smirked. "Let's make him really suffer for his candy theivery. Let's…"

Inuyasha sweatdropped.

"…take him shopping with us!"

- - -

End Chapter Nine


	10. Chapter Ten: Shopping Trip

Half and Half  
_An Inuyasha Fanfic by Elusion  
_Chapter Ten

- - -

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all characters therein belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video

- - -

As Kagome and her mother got themselves ready to go shopping, Inuyasha had a few things to sniff out.

"Oi, kid."

Souta looked up.

"Yes, Inu nii-chan?"

Inuyasha winced slightly.

"What's this deal with the birthday thing? What's all this talk about parties and stuff?"

Souta blinked in surprise.

"You've never had a birthday party?"

Inuyasha shook his head, a bit puzzled.

Unable to comprehend such a fate, Souta just looked at him in horror.

" You never had balloons and cake and ice cream and presents-"

"Presents?" Should he get Kagome a gift?

"and friends over and-"

Inuyasha left Souta in his state of shock, pondering this over. What would he get Kagome?

"Inuyasha! There you are!"

Inuyasha looked up and blinked. Kagome stood there in a flowy yellow flower printed sundress and a cute sunhat. Inuyasha couldn't help but notice how the yellow brought out the newly aquired golden tint in her eyes, and how the fabric of the dress seemed to cling in certain parts, showing off her delicate figure.

Kagome smiled and blushed slightly at the same time as the dog-boy nearly drooled over her.

"Uh, are you ready to go?" she asked, feeling a little awkward. Inuyasha came back to earth and blinked.

"Wha?"

"I asked if you were ready to go."

Inuyasha's cheeks reddened just the slightest bit in embarrassment.

"Yeah. Sure."

- - -

Kagome sighed as she stepped out of the vehicle. The taxi had mystified Inuyasha, and it had taken a while to convince him that it was safe. He had finally gotten in, sniffing the air, and then sneezed at the exhaust fumes. He stared suspiciously at the cab driver, who was giving him strange looks as well. After Kagome and her mother climbed in, the car started. Inuyasha jumped and Kagome swore he would have clung to the ceiling like a high strung cat if there had been room. As it was, his pupils were tiny slits, his nostrils flared slightly, and his hair was almost sticking up. He glanced around nervously as they began moving, but relaxed slightly when he noticed that Kagome and her mother were acting like it was an everyday occurance. He followed Mrs. Higurashi out of the taxi, and watched, interested, as she paid the cab driver.

"What are those?" he pointed to the yen in Mrs. Higurashi's hand, causing the cab driver to stare only more suspiciously before he finally drove away.

"This?" she asked surprised, holding the yen notes up. "This is our form of money. It's called yen."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. Money... he never had much use for it back in the feudal era. There was nothing he needed that he couldn't find, work for, or make himself.

Kagome entered the conversation. "We're going shopping for fun, Inuyasha. If there's anything you would like, just ask one of us, and we can buy it for you." She paused. "Just so long as it's reasonable. Also, if you don't understand something or have questions about it, ask us. Other people might think it strange."

Inuyasha wasn't sure what to expect about this whole "shopping" experience, but what he saw far surpassed his imagination. He had gone once to a grocery store with Kagome, which hadn't been a big deal. He had seen human markets before where you could buy food. What he hadn't seen before, were malls. He had never been exposed to such huge amounts of stuff.

He stared at the huge building in front of him. He didn't know such things could be built.

"Humans built this?" He asked aloud in awe.

"Amazingly resourceful, aren't they?" Kagome smirked. She grabbed his hand and pulled him on, breaking his upwards stare. She navigated through the people milling around in the mall, following her mother, glad she had remembered to put a baseball cap on Inuyasha, and a sunhat for herself, because it was a lot more crowded than she had expected it to be. She looked at Inuyasha for a moment, as he stared at a nearby escalator, his eyes wide, dressed in his bright red robes, and wondered if the baseball hat really made him stand out any less.

She turned to her mother. "Mom, I think..."

"We should get Inuyasha some new clothes?" Mrs. Higurashi finished, also looking in Inuyasha's direction. "Yes, I was just thinking the same thing. The sooner the better, too."

Kagome smiled broadly. She grabbed Inuyasha's arm, and excitedly dragged him into a nearby store.

He looked around wildly. "Huh... Kagome... what?"

Kagome grinned in a way that made Inuyasha feel nervous.

"We're getting you new clothes. And it's about time, I say."

Inuyasha sweatdropped as he glanced around the store. "But... what's wrong with my robes?" Inuyasha asked desparately.

Kagome lifted an eyebrow, and then saw he was dead serious. She sighed. "Inuyasha, it's a bit different here. Your robes are very nice for the feudal era- they allow freedom of movement and even help protect you, but here, well, you need to fit in."

Inuyasha unconciously tugged his hat down a little. Kagome smiled. "But also, just because I want to see you in some other clothes for a change. So come on- I'm sure this would look cute on you." She started pulling things off the racks for Inuyasha to try on.

Kagome rather enjoyed this part of the trip, but Inuyasha wasn't quite as pleased. Having never worn anything but his fire rat robes, which had grown with him as he got older, he found some difficulties in putting on the tighter fitting clothes made of unfamiliar materials. But whenever he emerged from the dressing room with something that looked particularly good on him, Kagome's smile made it all worth it. However, they ran into some trouble almost immediately in tastes.

Inuyasha wanted baggy jeans. Kagome thought the ones that "fit" looked better on him. Inuyasha wanted a red shirt. Kagome was tired of seeing him in red. They probably would have had a fight in the middle of the store, had not Kagome's mother quietly returned with a pair of jeans larger than the ones Kagome picked out, but went so excessively baggy as Inuyasha's. She also found a white t-shirt with a dragon design in red that both agreed was good, and so they reached a compromise.

They pulled off the tags for the clothing and handed them to the cashier to pay for them, rather than having to change back into his robes. The cashier didn't seem to find this strange, though she eyed the fire rat robes when they asked for a shopping bag to put them in.

Kagome eyed her man appreciatively. "Inuyasha, I do believe you look downright hot right now."

Inuyasha blinked obliviously. "Actually, these clothes aren't as warm as my robes." He directed a "thank-you" towards Mrs. Higurashi as Kagome giggled to herself. They left the store, ready now for a full day's worth of shopping.

Inuyasha's wonder never ceased, though he tried to hide it. He suspected this "shopping" thing was primarily a feminine activity, and felt that as a man, it wouldn't do so well to be seen enjoying it too much. So he strutted behind the women, who exclaimed excitedly at pretty things they found in the stores, his arms crossed, and something like a scowl on his face. But, as he watched Kagome enjoy herself, he found he couldn't keep a frown on his face. The way her eyes lit up when she found something she thought he'd like, every time she turned around and pointed out something to Inuyasha, the smile that she had while explaining all the things that were strange, wonderful, or frightening to him... all these things kept him from even pretending to be grumpy.

So, he didn't complain when she had him try on other clothes, or even when she placed the most ridiculous looking hat on his head and giggled at him. He even let her buy him the fedora, though he silently vowed he would never wear it.

"It might make a nice change from that old baseball cap you're always wearing," Kagome said, still laughing a little. He glanced over the other purchases she was making. Horrified, he pulled a shirt from the pile.

"I told you I didn't like this! Kagome, don't you dare - "

Kagome snatched the shirt from him. "It looked adorable on you," she insisted. She placed it back in the pile.

Inuyasha growled menacingly. Kagome didn't even look at him. Intimidation tatics repelled, Inuyasha sighed and looked pleadingly towards Mrs. Higurashi for help.

Supressing a grin, she looked at Kagome quite sternly. "Now Kagome... there's not much point in buying a shirt that Inuyasha will most likely rip up the moment your back is turned, now is there?"

Kagome pouted, but set the shirt aside. "Alright, alright... It was mostly a joke anyways." Inuyasha looked immensely relieved. Yet again, he found himself indebted to Mrs. Higurashi.

Once they left the store, Inuyasha began noticing food smells wafting mysteriously wafting through the air. He glanced at Kagome, and wondered if she noticed them. Her nose twitched slightly, and she turned to her mother.

"Shall we stop by the food court, then?" Inuyasha perked up. A "food court" sounded promising.

"Sounds like a good idea, Kagome. And maybe afterwards, we could leave Inuyasha to eat some dessert while we do a little bit of special shopping."

Kagome looked thoughtful, then nodded in agreement.

Inuyasha glanced at them suspiciously. On one hand, dessert sounded excellent. On the other hand, he didn't like the idea of being left out of something. What if Kagome intended to go back and purchase that shirt her mother had insisted she lay aside? He bristled at the thought. The shirt itself wouldn't have been so bad, if it weren't for all those tiny buttons... and those ruffles were just too much. Not to mention the odd color of teal... He shuddered slightly. Never mind, that shirt just was that bad.

So while he sat in front of a large styrafoam dish of ice cream, he eyed Kagome and her mother suspiciously as they walked away. He knew it! They were headed in the direction of that store that harbored the cursed shirt. Glancing around suspiciously, he picked up the ice cream dish and snuck after them, keeping them just in view. He saw Kagome glance behind her, and he swore, ducking into a store opening, hoping he hadn't been seen.

"Sir, I'll have to ask you not to bring that inside," He jumped guiltily, and then looked to see an employee of the shop he was in pointing to the cup of ice cream he carried.

"Oh... right... sorry." He glanced in Kagome's direction, and seeing her back turned to him, he snuck back out of the shop. He watched as the women walked, passing the store that they had shopped at earlier, the one with the teal shirt. Puzzled, he watched them continue to a shop with a pink sign above it instead. Curiousity took ahold of him, and he walked slowly towards the store, wondering what it was that Kagome and her mother were trying to keep from him.

He glanced in, and his eyes widened and he almost dropped his ice cream. In the window stood two women with wings, wearing nothing but a few very small, rather intimate pieces of clothing. Kagome and her mother went to... oh...

He quickly rushed back to the food court.

- - -

When they returned, he looked up at them, then quickly glanced back down to the styrafoam container, scraping at it furiously with his spoon, even though there wasn't anything left in it. He felt his cheeks heat up slightly, and cursed silently as he knew they were reddening.

Kagome smiled slyly, and remembered a glance of white and red she had had on her way to the lingerie store.

"Come on, Inuyasha, I think we're ready to go."

"Okay." He stood quickly, still avoiding her gaze and fighting to hide the blush on his cheeks as they left the mall.

- - -

End Chapter Ten


End file.
